Potato-digger.



S. MUELLER. POTATO BIGGER. APPLICATION rum) JAN. '1, 1909.

Patented June 29, 1909.

sums-an T S. MUELLER.

POTATO BIGGER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 7, 190a.

Patented June 29, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Queen, 5

UNITED STATES PATENT orricn.

SIMON MOELLER, OF KINGS GREEK, SOUTH CAROLINA.

POTATO-DIGGER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON Honnnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kings Creek, in the county of Cherokee and State of South Carolina, have invented a new and useful Potato-Digger, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to potato diggers, and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of its parts, as hereinafter shown and described.

The object of the invention is to provide, in a potato digger, means for lifting the roots above the surface of the ground, and a reciprocating shaker for receiving the same, wherein the roots are separated from the vines and soil, and are deposited upon the top of the ground, in the wake of the implement.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide substantial means for supporting the parts above described, and also to provide traction means for imparting the reciprocatory movement to the shaker.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figure 1 is a side elevation of the'potato digger. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear end ele 'ation of the same. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of a tine used in the shaker of the potato digger. Fig. 5 is a face view of a disk used upon the potato digger for transmitting reciprocatory movement to the shaker.

The implement consists of the tongue 1, to the rear end of which is attached the post and seat 2. The sleeve 3 is attached to the rear end portion of the tongue 1 and lies transversely with relation to the same. The side bars 4 extend parallel with the rear end portion of the tongue and at their rear ends project beyond the rear end of the tongue. The said side bars 4 lie. transversely across the sleeve 3 and are held in proper position at their forward end portions by a cross-bar 5, which is attached at its center or middle to the said tongue 1. An axle 6 is journaled for rotation in the sleeve 3, and the traction wheels 7 are attached to the ends of the said axle 6. One of the traction wheels 7 is provided with a crown gear rim 8.

The inverted Ushaped irons or clips 9 straddle the rear end portions of the side bars 41 and are located behind the axle sleeve 3. The rear ends of the beams 10 are pivotally mounted in the lower end portions of the clips 9, and the said beams 10 lie under Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 7, 1909.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Serial No. 471,163.

the side bars 4. The upper edges of the beams 10 are recessed as at 11 to receive the lower portion of the sleeve 3 when the b ams 10 are swung up in position against the under side of the side bars 4. The U- shapcd yoke 12 is attached at its ends to the r ar portions of the beams 10, and the U- shaped yoke 13 is attached at intermediate points to the forward portions of the beams 10. The ends of the yoke 13 are continued into the curved extremities l t, the upper end portions of which are inwardly bent as at 15. The forward edges of the curved extensions 14 of the yoke 1;, are provided with the ratchet teeth or gear teeth 16.

Guides 17 are mounted upon the forward end portions of the side bars 1, and the curved extensions 14 of the yoke 13 pass between the said guides and the outer sides of the said side bars 4. The idle gear wheels 18 are journaled between the guides 17 and the side bars 4. and are located at the lower edges of the said side bars and mesh with the gear teeth 16. A shaft 19 is jourualed for rotation and extends transversely across the upper edges of the said bars 4 and the tongue 1. The said shaft 19 is provided at its end portions with the gear wheels 20, which mesh with the gear teeth 16 of the curved extensions H of the ends of the yoke 13.

A ratchet wheel 21 is fixed at the intermediate portion of the shaft 19, and a lever 22 is fulcrumed upon the tongue 1 and is provided with a double pawl mechanism 23, which is adapted to cooperate with the ratchet 21 for the purpose of rotating the shaft 19. Thus means is provided for rotating the said shaft, and, through the said shaft, for raising and lowering the yoke 13. The inward bent extremities 15 of the end portions of the said yoke are adapted to come in contact with the upper sides of the side bars a and limit the downward move ment of the said yoke and the parts supported thereby. The colter blades 24 are attached to the forward ends of the beams 10. The scoop 25 is supported in the interme diate portions of the yokes 12 and 13, and the said scoop is provided at its forward end with a removable share 26. The scoop 25 is provided at its longitudinal edges with the vertically disposed sides 27, which follow in alinement behind the coltcr blades 24.

Bearings 28 are mounted at the rear ends of the side bars 4. The said bearings 28 are provided at their rear ends with a series of perforations 29, by means of which the rear end portions of the said bearings may be adjustably attached with the rear ends of the side bars at, and secured in adjusted positions, whereby the said bearings may be pitched at a desired angle with relation to the surface of the ground. The inverted U- shaped hangers 30 are pivotally mounted at their intermediate portions in the said bearings 28, and may swing laterally at their lower ends with relation to the side bars 4, but cannot swing vertically with relation to the same.

A shaker 31 is attached to the lower ends of the hangers 30, and has its forward edge projecting under the rear edge of the scoop 25. The bottom of the shaker 31 is formed by a series of rearwardly projecting spaced tines 32. The said tines 32 are substantially pear-shaped in transverse section, and have their acuminate portions downwardly disposed, the object of which will be hereinafter explained. A bracket 33 it attached to one end portion of the sleeve 3, and a shaft 3% is journaled for rotation in the said bracket. A beveled gear-wheel 35 is mounted upon the shaft and meshes with the gear rim 8 attached to the side of one of the traction wheels 7. A disk 36 is fixed to the lower end of the shaft 34, and is provided with a series of perforations 37, which are located at different distances from the center of the said disk. A pitman 38 is provided with an angularly disposed end 39, which is adapted to be inserted in any one of the perforations 37, and the opposite end of the said pitman 38 is adapted to be pivotally connected with the shaker 31.

By this arrangement it will be seen that when the scoop 25 is lowered so that the share 26 may pass under the roots standing in a row, the colter blades 21, operating at the sides of the said share, will cut the vines and weeds of the plants, while the share will pass under the same and force the roots, together with the adhering earth, up into the scoop 25. As the material in the said scoop 25 approaches the shaker 31 and falls upon the same, the said shaker is reciprocating laterally through the instrumentality of the pitman 38, and its attached gear wheels being in mesh with the gear rim 8 mounted upon the traction wheels, and the roots and earth are agitated, whereby the earth is shaken from the roots, the earth passing down through the spaces between the tines 32, while the roots move out along the tines and fall upon the rear ends thereof upon the surface of the soil. By reason of the peculiar transverse shape of the said tines 32 it is impossible for the roots to wedge between the tines, and it is also impossible for the said tines to hold stones, as any object which can pass through the space at the upper sides of the said tines will fall through, as the space increases in lateral area toward the lower sides of the tines By reason of the fact that the tines 32 are secured at their forward ends to the shaker 31 and are free at their rear ends, the said tines may have a slight vertical whipping movement, which will facilitate the separation of the soil from the roots and will also facilitate the passage of the roots toward the rear ends of the tines. It will also be seen that, by manipulating the lever 22, the yoke 13 may be raised, so that the scoop 25 will be elevated above the surface of the ground and that the colter blades 2% will be similarly raised, and, when this is done, by disconnecting the pitman 38 from the shaker 31, the implement may be readily transported from place to place upon the traction wheels without undue friction or unnecessary movement of its parts.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure, by Letters Patent, is

A potato digger comprising a wheelmounted axle, a frame mounted upon the axle, a digging scoop carried thereby, a shaker mounted for lateral reciprocal movement behind the scoop, means for varying the pitch of the shaker with relation to the frame, a bracket depending from the axle, a shaft journaled in the bracket, a disk attached to the shaft, a pitman connected at one end with the shaker and adjustably connected at its other end with the disk, and means operatively connecting the shaft with one of the axle-supporting wheels.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SIMON MOELLER.

WVitnesses D. AUDLEY GOLD, L. T. LIGON. 

